“It seems strange to me to talk about Czech football at this time. But he won’t give it to me. Something happened on Thursday, on Friday I spoke clearly about Russia’s attack on Ukraine. I soon read the opinion of the Polish Football Association, and later the decision of the Swedish Association. Both entities have made it clear that they will not compete against Russia in the March World Cup playoffs. Not even on neutral ground.
Subsequently, I took a look at the prestigious German Kicker, who asked in a readers’ survey whether Russian athletes, clubs or teams should be excluded from all world competitions. Ninety-two percent of respondents answered yes. I am pleasantly surprised by the great cohesion of the Czech people, the attitude of the Czech government and the head of the National Sports Agency, Filip Neusser. I’m moved about it. Well, that’s the reaction-non-response of the Football Association of the Czech Republic …
I know that these are far more important things, but when I read the hesitant statement of the FACR in connection with the tragic events in Ukraine, I was terribly sad. In fact, I would be surprised if the FACR responded in the style of a Polish or Swedish union. But I felt ordinary human shame. Not that I belong to a large Czech football family, but that such people command it. That we have such a leader-non-leader. I am talking about this so that people know that there are other people in domestic football than those who command it. There are also those who can express themselves clearly, firmly, consistently.
The world is not black and white. It’s colorful, amazing. I have always said that politics does not belong in sport. But this is a war in which innocent people are being killed by a psychopathic group. We have found ourselves at a great historical crossroads, of which there are not many in the history of nations. It offers only two directions: either you go right or left. There is no golden pee mean way here. One has to decide whether one is on the side of the killers or on the side of the victims who are defending ones, and one is going to help them. And not only does he say it out loud but clearly, but he also behaves that way.
In this context, I want to emphasize the words of the head of the Polish Football Association: Now is not the time to talk, but to act. Unfortunately, in these sad moments, the Czech fan got a very clear answer to the question why nothing happened in domestic football and no change will happen in it. “
Josef Csaplár
Josef Csaplár is a Czech football coach. In addition to his coaching career, he also works in football as a television commentator and expert. He popularized concepts such as “Csaplár’s Trap” among fans and the media. His greatest coaching success is winning the championship with Slovan Liberec, where he worked with the experienced Ladislav Škorpil. He also worked for the national team under 17, his last league stand was in Zlín.
